


In Sickness And In Health

by Visionsofdazzlingrooms



Category: blue bloods
Genre: Comfort, Cute, F/M, episode tags, scared, sick, some smut, throughout the seasons
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-02
Updated: 2021-01-06
Packaged: 2021-03-10 02:01:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 6,773
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27655867
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Visionsofdazzlingrooms/pseuds/Visionsofdazzlingrooms
Summary: Five times Danny took care of Linda, and one time he didn’t.
Relationships: Danny Reagan/Linda Reagan
Comments: 36
Kudos: 8





	1. Fever In The Morning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, guys
> 
> This story is pure fluff, and has one* mature chapter. I will add a warning when that comes, as I know one of you isn’t a fan of that. 
> 
> *as of yet. I still have two more chapters to write. And because of the two unwritten chapters, I’d love to hear some suggestions!
> 
> Happy reading

Danny shook his head as he pulled the light weight sweater down his torso. It was the end of September which meant colder days were coming, Thanksgiving decorations would be mixed with Halloween, and Linda would be making every baked thing imaginable with pumpkin spice. He didn't mind any of it though; Thanksgiving was one of his favorite holidays, he didn't do the shopping, so what did he care?, and he liked his wife's baking. 

Fall was the best time of year (according to his wife at least). The one thing he didn't like about fall was the sickness that came with it. Kids getting colds or the flu from other kids who got compromised immune systems from other kids gave him a headache to just think about. He was always being shoved a handful of vitamins he didn't know the name to in order to stay healthy. 

Danny frowned when he walked into the kitchen. It seemed normal- coffee was made, eggs were on a plate in his place, and a banana was on the table. The one thing wrong was the sight of his wife with her head on her forearms resting on the table.

Danny sat down and stroked her hair. "You okay, Linda?"

"I think I'm sick."

"Do you have a fever?"

"Don't know." She sighed as she sat up, looking like she hadn't slept in days. She opened her mouth and stuck the side of her hand inside, and waited. 

He cocked his head, "what're you doing?"

"Checking for a fever... I've got one."

"How can you tell?"

She explained to him that if heat radiates from the hand into the mouth, then there is a fever. 

"Why don't you lie down? You look pretty sleepy."

Linda nodded, slowly making the trek up the stairs to the bedroom. She yawned widely, gripping the rail as her head spun a little bit. 

Danny quickly tidied up the kitchen and put breakfast away, wondering if he should make Linda a light meal. At the moment he decided against it, settling on filling a thermos with cold water. 

He took the stairs two at a time, then entered his bedroom. "Hey," he kneeled on the floor in front of the bed, putting the thermos within his wife's reach. He stroked her hair, "aside from the fever, are you okay?"

Linda shook her head, her body relaxing. She would forever love his touch, it always calmed her nerves. "Could you bring me the barf bucket? And my computer so I can watch TV?"

He nodded, concerned her stomach was so upset she needed the bucket. "What do you want to watch?"

She sighed, "I don't know. Bring some DVDs. I want to sleep now, though."

"Okay. I'll be back in a bit." 

It took Danny a matter of minutes to get the things Linda had asked. He stopped for a minute or two in order to call in sick to work. Linda would fuss at him, but he saw how sick she acted and looked. 

When Danny entered the bedroom again that morning, Linda's eyes were closed and the fan was blowing. He placed her computer on the dresser, making sure the charger was plugged in so it would be ready when she was. He put the barf bucket (which was actually just a crummy cooking pot) next to her thermos on the floor. 

Linda smiled when she felt Danny's hand smoothly running over her hot arm. When he removed his hand, she frowned. "Could you stay please? At- at least until I fall asleep."

Danny nodded, "of course, baby." He climbed in bed behind her, holding her close. He kissed her shoulder, knowing he'd have whatever she did in a few days. Making sure she was in good spirits and well taken care of was worth a day of misery. 

*********

Linda slept restlessly for about an hour, shivering now as her arms prickled with goosebumps. 

Danny held her tighter, tucking more of the blanket around her. He intended to kiss her cheek, but she moved her head away. 

“I don’t want you getting sick.” Her voice was muffled in the pillow. “We don’t need to sick parents.”

“This is a twenty four hour thing.”

“How do you know?”

Danny thought about it, “I don’t know... do you feel any better?”

Linda turned to face him, “I wish I could sleep.” 

“You will.... wanna know a trick?”

She nodded, her eyes closing. 

“Close your eyes and just breathe. Move a finger or a toe , and say ten times, ‘don’t think’.”

“Will it help?”

“Supposedly. They teach that to us in the military, but for me it only works about half the time.”

“I guess I can try it.” So she tried, and half an hour later, she was still awake. “Danny, it didn’t work.”

He looked up from the article he was reading. Swiping her hair from her face, he wondered, “do you want some soft music?”

She nodded, and finally fell asleep to the smooth voice of Karen Carpenter. When she woke up a few hours later., she was feeling a little better. She tried eating some crackers, and although her stomach felt queasy, she managed to keep them down. Throughout the day, she was up and down. Sometimes she slept, sometimes she watched the DVDs on her computer. 

Danny had been right, it was just a twenty four hour thing. She thanked him for taking care of her, and promised she’d do the same when he got sick the next day.


	2. Making Her Feel Loved

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those of you who aren’t fond of it, I’m putting a little warning here. This one includes sex, so just skip if it doesn’t tickle your fancy. 
> 
> The scene starts with “Danny moaned into her mouth” and ends right before “Linda touched her forehead to his”

Danny heard a crash from the bathroom, and quickly pushed his way through the door. Ordinarily, he would've casually walked through, but he was a little on edge. His wife had been kidnapped, and he felt terrible. He hadn't done anything to stop it; he wouldn't have even known she had been kidnapped if that goon hadn't answered her cell. 

Before him, Danny saw the soap bottles on the bathroom floor surrounded by a puddle of water. He saw her slumped over in the tub, a heartbreaking look of hurt shaded her beautiful face. 

"Why? Why did they do that?" Linda moaned as she let her hands drop in the water, making it slosh over the sides of the tub. She started crying, all the held back tears finally boiling over. 

Danny knelt down beside the tub, not caring if his pants were getting wet. He took the washcloth hanging from the side of the tub. "I'm so sorry, baby," he dipped the washcloth in the bubbly water. 

As he washed her shoulder, he continued the apologies. "I never should've let you go alone. I should've gone with you, taken you-"

"There's nothing you could've done," She wanted to still be angry, to be outraged that someone didn't check the cops first, but she wasn't succeeding. She was still scared and traumatized, however, her high strung nerves and her tight muscles were beginning to relax. She closed her eyes as the wash cloth roamed over her shoulders, down her arms, on her neck. 

"You're alright now. No one can hurt you," he wasn't sure if he was telling himself or Linda. He kissed her cheek, lingering longer than necessary. His washing motions stopped as he turned her head towards him, capturing her lips in a loving kiss. 

Linda gripped his shirt, water dripping from her hands and arms. She breathed him in, trying to forget how it felt to be grabbed and taken away from him. She needed him now more than ever, and she hoped her not-so-PG13 kiss conveyed those feelings.

Danny moaned into her mouth, knowing what she wanted. He'd be a liar if he said he didn't want it; while still kissing her, he took off his watch and slid it across the floor. He pulled away from her for a few minutes, stripping quickly. 

Linda let out a husky breath as Danny climbed into the tub, wasting no time in pulling her close. She shifted, straddling him in the water. Danny reached behind his wife, grabbing the floating wash cloth. He ran it through the water, and placed it on her left shoulder, slowly dragging it downwards. 

Linda bit her lip as the rough wash cloth slid over her breast. She closed her eyes while her husband groped the mound of flesh. Danny rubbed the washcloth over her peaked nipple, getting a moan from her throat. He pinched the hard flesh, latching his lips to her neck. His other hand traced nonsense patterns on her stomach with his free hand, getting her ready for what was to come. 

"Danny," Linda moaned a few minutes later, the itch between her legs growing. She rolled her hips, silently asking him to scratch her itch. 

"What?" He ran his fingers over her curls, "what is it?"

She closed her eyes; she knew this game, she liked this game. She rose on her knees a little bit, causing his fingers to rest lower. "Touch me. Please."

"So polite," he praised her, inserting a finger, reveling in her moans. He curled another finger inside her, her breath getting shallow. He smiled at her flushed face- her flushed body, actually. The blush went from her forehead, across her cheeks, down her neck, over her breasts. 

Danny moaned this time, thinking of that full-body flush. He picked up his momentum, watching his wife's face. "Linda." 

She didn't look at him. 

"Linda." He stopped his movements, much to Linda's dismay. 

"Why'd you stop?" Her voice was tight with arousal, her face slightly annoyed. 

He pushed her drying hair behind her ear, "I want you to look at me." He didn't know why he needed the eye contact. Maybe it was to make sure it was real, to make sure she was really here, at his mercy. 

She nodded, whispering, "eye contact." She couldn't help her eyes flutter close as she found her first high of the evening, throwing her head back in pleasure. 

Before she could catch her breath, Danny slid into her, both of them moaning in pleasure. He rocked into her, gripping her hips, locking eyes with her the whole time. He made sure she found her pleasure first, bringing her over a third time when he found his own high. 

Linda touched her forehead to his, then tipped his head up slightly. She kissed his lips languidly, "I love you. I love you so much." 

He returned her kiss, rubbing her back. "I love you more."

"I love you most." She smiled, feeling very relaxed. "Thank you."

He furrowed his brow as they shifted in the tub, "for?"

"For making me feel loved."

"I will always make you feel loved." 

She smiled again, her breathing returning to normal. A few minutes of comfortable silence settled around them until she spoke again. "The water's cold."

"Then let's get out."

Danny dried Linda, both knowing they just needed to be close to each other. After she was in her pajamas (which were actually old clothes of Danny's) she snuggled with him beneath the blankets of their bed. Sleep came to her quickly, as she was exhausted from the high strung nerves throughout the day. 

*********

"Linda," Danny called to her about an hour later. She was thrashing about in her sleep, frantically calling his name. "Linda." He finally shook her awake, and she gasped for air when her eyes popped open. 

Linda almost immediately started crying when she woke, and instinctively turned to Danny. She cried against his chest, gripping the fabric of his T-shirt. His soothing voice filled her ears and his soft kisses to her head filled her heart. It took her about twenty minutes to finally calm down, "sorry."

"You have no right to be sorry."

"What?"

"None of this was in anyway your fault. Never apologize for feeling scared." Those sounded like words that would come from her mouth. "You have every right to feel scared."

"But I'm not scared. Not with you here. I know you'll protect me... I'm scared to sleep again."

Danny kissed her, holding her tight. He buried his fingers in her hair, scratching at her scalp, calming her. 

"Will you make love to me again? I.. I know it sounds sick, but I think I need it."

He rolled her to her back, and he hovered over her. "Don't you remember what I said? I'll always make you feel loved."

Neither of them got much sleep that night, between the nightmares and multiple rounds of love making, the night got away from them. In the morning, Danny called in sick. He took the kids to school and spent the day with his wife, protecting her from the demons- in the world and in her mind.


	3. Best Boyfriend Ever

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y’all get Danny and Linda in high school for this one

"Not now, Danny," Linda O’Shea grumbled as she gathered her books from her locker. "I didn't sleep at all last night, I have a migraine, cramps that are literally killing me from the inside out, and I'm about to scream, cry, or laugh hysterically any second now."

Danny furrowed his brow. "I'm sorry you're feeling so crappy."

"Crappy? That doesn't begin to describe it." She grouched, feeling another cramp surge through her body. 

"If you feel so rotten, why are you here?"

"Because I shouldn't let one little inconvenience ruin my everyday life. Don't you know? I should be wearing white in a field of daisies while turning cartwheels and climbing Mount Everest, where my biggest concern is if my hair looks cute!" 

"Erin says those commercials are an insult to women kind everywhere."

"And they are!" Linda whimpered as a cramp surged through her body and her head pounded. 

"I, uh," Danny licked his upper lip, and his girlfriend was suddenly turned on. "I understand this requires some form of ice cream?"

Linda looked up at him, "double chocolate chocolate chip would be best."

"Come to the house after school? I got chocolate ice cream, chocolate chips, and a heat pad with your name on it."

"Oh, Danny, you're the greatest." She gave him a quick kiss on the lips.

**********

Mary Reagan walked into a quiet house, and immediately questioned the situation. Someone was always making noise or yelling at their sibling. She walked into the living room, where she heard the tv. 

"Joe, are you watching TV when-" she stopped mid-sentence when she saw Linda lying on the couch with a bowl of ice cream and her head on Danny's lap. "Oh, hello, Linda."

"Mrs. Reagan, your son is the best!" Linda explained brining the spoon to her lips. 

"Oh?" She stood next to the couch, and realized the heat pad was draped over Linda's stomach. 

"Linda's, uh, not feeling good, and I told her she could hang out here. The mention of ice cream sealed the deal." Danny explained, absently running his fingers through her hair. 

"He wasn't grossed out or anything," the blonde sounded like she was in some pain. "He's the best."

"Danny, can I talk to you for a second?" Mary beckoned him close. 

"Sure." He dropped a pillow where he had been sitting so Linda could still have the support. He followed his Mom to the kitchen. "What's up?"

"I'm proud of you." She smiled softly. 

"For...?"

"For being a gentleman. You're taking care of her, and you're not even annoyed or grossed out."

"Periods are gross," Danny argued, standing in the kitchen doorway, trying to hear Linda (since he couldn't see her). "But who'll make her feel better if not me? She needs someone to care for her, cause, well... you know."

Mary nodded, "I do."

"Do you think she could spend the night? She looks like she's going to collapse any minute."

Mary didn't answer as she walked briskly into the living room. "Linda? Are you okay, sweetie? Do you feel dizzy?" She squatted in front of the couch. 

Linda nodded, feeling worse now that her ice cream was gone. She felt like she wanted to cry, curl into a ball, and just fade away. 

"Would you like to stay the night? Erin has an extra bed in her room, and I'm sure she wouldn't mind another female in the house."

Linda looked to Danny who was standing near the couch. She looked back to Mary, "I'm really not in the mood for moving anything..... but I don't want to impose."

"You won't be," Danny spoke up. "We wouldn't have offered if you were— no, actually, we would've. But you're not imposing. You're never imposing."

Linda smiled gratefully, "I'd really appreciate it."

"And I can drive you back home in the morning. Need to call anyone?"

"No one will care," she sighed, almost pouting. "I suppose I should let Jimmy know...."

*********

Linda moaned weakly as she looked at the clock. Two am, an hour after she had woken the last time. Periods sucked, Linda had concluded early on in her journey of becoming a young woman. 

She knew it sounded pathetic, but she needed someone to hold her. Quietly, she got out of bed and padded to Danny's room. She bit her lip, holding her pillow close to her body. Taking a deep breath, she called his name. 

“Danny?”

He didn’t move a muscle. 

She called his name four more times before he sleepily answered her. 

“Go back to sleep, kid.” 

Little Jamie had recently developed the bad habit of waking Danny when he couldn’t sleep because “Mama needs her sleep and Daddy will get mad”.

“No, it’s- it’s me. Linda.”

“Linda?” Danny propped himself up on his elbows. “What’s the matter?”

“Can I sleep with you? No, no. Not sleep with you in a sense-“ she stumbled over her words, feeling embarrassed for even asking. 

Danny only smiled and scooted over, lifting the covers for her to get in. 

She slowly climbed in, wishing she could just breathe without hurting. She faced him, sighing in pain. 

“What’s the matter?”

“I can’t sleep.... I know I shou-“

He kissed the tip of her nose, “you can stay here.” Then he joked, “but no snoring, or I’ll kick ya out.”

At that moment, Linda’s body decided it’d be a great time for her to cry. “Dammit!” She curses loudly, the tears coming fast. 

Danny had never heard anybody cry like she was crying. It sounded almost hysterical; he didn’t know what to do. It was different with Erin; she never got cramps or mood swings, she just got angry faster. 

Linda shook her head, scrambling up, “I’m sorry. I’ll go.”

“Why?” He grasped her wrist. 

“Cause you don’t want me here!”

“Linda, I do you want you here. I was joking about the snoring thing. I didn’t mean- are you okay?”

“No, I’m not okay!” She was on her knees now, looking down at him. “I feel like someone is sawing me in half, and I can’t do anything about it. It hurts to walk, to talk, to even breathe, and I have to function like this!”

Danny wasn’t understanding what she was saying through her sobs. He sat up and pulled her into a hug. Rubbing her back, he shushed her, not wanting to wake the household. “I’m sorry, I don’t understand it, but I’m sorry. Do you need any pain killers?”

“Those don’t work.”

“What do you need then?”

Linda didn’t talk for a while. She needed him to hold her, that’s all she wanted. “I need you to hold me so I can sleep.... how pathetic is that?”

“It’s not pathetic.” Very carefully, he lowered her back to the mattress. “I’ll always hold you.”

“Danny?” Linda spoke after her crying had stopped.

“Yeah?”

“You’re the greatest boyfriend ever. I love you.”

“I love you, too. Try to sleep.”

Linda didn’t sleep well that night, and she wasn’t so sure she was going to have a great Saturday. But she was certain of one thing: she loved Danny Reagan with all her heart, and knew he was a special young man. What other guy would hold their girlfriend while she’s menstruating, just so she could fall asleep?

Linda would think back to that night, years later when she was married and had her own kids. She would look at her husband, the man who loved her unconditionally, and tell him simply, “I love you, Danny.”


	4. Feeling Guilty

She was tired, tired of it all; tired of the back pain, the hip pain, the head pain, the heart pain... she was tired of pain. She felt guilty- extremely guilty- for what she had caused. It wasn't her fault some maniac had accidentally shot her, but it was her fault for causing her husband such pain and sorrow. 

Jamie had told her, he told her how Danny had acted when she was in the operating room. She knew he didn't mean it for spite or harm, but it hurt her. It hurt her to imagine Jamie, Eddie, and Maria holding Danny back. It hurt her to imagine him pacing the halls, holding in the tears, being brave for everyone. 

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"What?" She looked up from her uneaten dinner. When had the kids left?

"Do you want to talk about it?" Danny repeated, his voice soft and quiet. Gosh, she loved his voice, it was so soothing, like music in her ears. 

"About what?" Linda tried to feign innocence. She furrowed her brow, setting her mouth in a confused slight pout. 

Damn, she's good at that. "About the guilt you're feeling."

"Guilt?" She stood and walked towards the living room. "Why should I feel guilt?" She sat on the couch, looking away, out the window. 

"Look, I've been there. I've felt guilty over the pain and bad feelings I've caused because of something that happened. Hell, I still feel guilty for how scared you felt when I came back from Fallujah... both times."

She felt him sit next to her, and it took all she had not to whip around and break down in his loving arms. "I'm sorry I made you feel like that, but I'm fine. Really, I am."

"Then look me in the eye when you say that."

Perceiving that as a threat, Linda whipped her head around, her growing hair falling onto her face. She stared at him, tipping her chin up in slight anger. "I'm fine."

"No, Linda, you're not. You don't think I see what's happening to you? What you're feeling? How you're slipping deeper and deeper into the pit?"

"The pit of what? Despair?"

"Dammit, Linda, now is not the time for movie references!"

"If you're so hell-bent in helping me, then why don't you?" She faltered for just a second, realizing she couldn't leave that hanging. "Why actually start trying to help, instead of telling me I'm wrong? Don't you think I know that? Don't you think I want to get better? Of course I want to get better!" She was standing now, using big gestures to emphasize her points. "You don't seem to be helping the process. All you do is yell at me about how I can't go on like this!"

"I yell because I care!" Danny stood right in front of her, looking down into her eyes. "I'm a gruff person, you know that! And you know I immediately go to yelling!"

"Maybe you should work on that!" She fought against the tears wanting to come. Crying won't help any...

Danny nodded once, putting his hands up in defeat. "You're right, you're right."

She licked her lips as tension hung in the air. "So.. so now what? We just walk away like nothing happened and don't resolve anything?"

"Come here," he held his hand out to her and she took it. "Does your back hurt? Your side?"

"When do they not?" She answered cynically. 

"Follow me."

She wanted to stay rooted where she was, wanted to be mad for a while longer, but she followed him up to their bedroom. She didn't protest when she heard the lock click, or when he peeled her pink shirt from her body. She nearly protested when he slid her bra from her arms. 

"Get on the bed, on your stomach."

"Danny, sex isn't going to solve our problems."

"Who said we're going to have sex? Go lie." He turned her around and swatted her butt before disappearing into the en-suite. 

Linda shrugged, she was going to be curiosity's victim tonight. She laid on the bed, getting comfortable with her arms beneath the pillows. She felt Danny sit by her hip, and heard his hands rubbing together. "What're you doing?"

"You'll see." He smiled when she moaned slightly as he started massaging her shoulders. Amiable silence filled the air, broken by Linda's soft moans. "So. Why are you feeling guilty?"

She sighed, but gave in despite herself. "Jamie told me how you felt, how they had to hold you back."

He stilled his movements for a bit. "He shouldn't have told you that."

"He didn't do it out of spite or anything like that. He just wanted me to know why you're acting like such a bitch."

He pressed his thumbs harder into her back, making her arch to his touch. "I'm scared, y'know."

"You've told me. We've lost communication."

"I know. We should work on that." 

She hissed slightly as his fingers worked her lower back. "Too hard."

"Sorry," he lightened his touch, continuing with the conversation. "You're the best thing that's happened to me, Linda. I can't imagine not being with you."

"And I can't imagine not being with you. You're my everything, Danny.... did I tell you that I refused the oxygen?"

"No.... why didn't you take the oxygen?"

Linda turned to her side, propping herself on her elbow. She looked at Danny, a warm smile in her face. "Cause you're the oxygen I breathe."

He leaned over and kissed her sweetly, "see? We're getting somewhere."

She repositioned herself on her stomach, "keep doing that with your fingers, and maybe we'll get further."

He smiled, continuing to press his fingers and thumbs into her lower back. He stopped for a few moments, only to reapply the massage oils to his hands. 

They talked out their problems until Linda's speech slowed and her breathing evened. She fell asleep atop the covers, still mostly clothed. 

Danny smiled and retrieved a blanket from the linen closet. He draped it over his wife, then quickly changed into his pajamas. He slid beneath the blanket, and rubbed her bare shoulder. "I love you." He kissed her cheek, finally feeling they had made some very good progress.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I still have two unwritten chapters. Any requests for those?


	5. A Mother’s Love, Worry, And Guilt

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For Hellfire32 who requested the aftermath of the episode Fathers And Sons

“Sean, since you’re the injured, how’s about you pick where we’re going to eat?” Danny declared as they took Sean home.

Linda looked at him almost horrified. Why did he say that? Why would he promise food? Why didn’t he think Sean should be in a cushy bed surrounded by cushy pillows back at home? “Do you really think that’s a good idea?” She lowered her voice.

“That’s how we’ve always done it, babe. The injured and the not feeling well always get first choice in dinner and/or what to watch on tv.”

“Can we get pizza?” Sean piped up from the back seat. “Please, Mommy? I’m hurt, after all.”

“Yeah, Mom,” Jack agreed from behind her. “He’s injured. You wouldn’t want to deprive him of his choice of food, would you?”

Linda made a small grunt of surprise, looking at her husband for back up. Sean should be in bed with pillows everywhere, not in the car trying to guilt her into getting food. 

“That would just be mean,” Danny added, taking a careful turn to the left. “Besides, honey, the doctor said that aside from headaches and possible blurry vision, Sean should be back to his crazy self.”

“Hey!” Sean protested the title of ‘crazy’. 

“We’ll just have to keep an eye on the blurry vision.”

She sat straight forward, not answering any of her boys. Finally, she gave in. “Fine. But it has to be Burger King or McDonald’s or something like this, yeah? And we’ll eat it at home.”

“Alright!” Sean and Jack high fived each other in the back seat. 

Danny noticed how Linda shook her head, and covered her eyes with her palm. She seemed very tense, and he planned on asking her about it once the boys were asleep. 

**********

“Sean,” Linda knelt down next to him, putting a hand on his shoulder. “What movie would you like to watch?”

Sean thought for a little bit. “Shrek 2?”

“Okay.” She stood to get the dvd, digging her nail into her palm. She wanted to hold her baby tightly, and just cry until she had no more tears left. She was relieved and utterly thankful, but she was still scared; scared that Sean would fall asleep and stay asleep. Scared that he’d be playing, get dizzy, and hit his head again. She knew those were irrational, but her brain wouldn’t stop coming up with those scenarios. 

At bedtime, Linda and Danny lingered longer in Sean’s room. The detective noted his wife still seemed rather tense, and once Sean was safely asleep, he asked her about it in their room. 

“Are you okay, sweetie?”

“Yeah. Why?” She shucked her shirt off, and tossed to into the hamper. 

“You seem very tense,” he handed her her pajama shirt. 

“Oh, um, I got a headache,” she pointed to her head. It wasn’t a complete lie- she did have a headache, but that wasn’t why she was tense. 

“You sure it’s not-“

“I just need to sleep. I’ll be fine by morning.” Linda gave him a half convincing smile and pecked his lips. 

Danny sighed, he knew he wouldn’t get anywhere that night. “Sleep is always good.” He agreed, no use in arguing back and forth about why she was tense. 

“That’s what they say.”

************

Danny was half asleep a few hours later, holding Linda tightly from behind. He knew she would talk when she was ready, but right now, he just held her to show his support and willingness to listen. He was almost asleep when he felt Linda jerk in his arms and scoot away from him. “Linda?”

Without a word, she pushed her sleeping mask off her face (a tell tale sign of not being able to sleep), and moved into Danny’s arms. Her fists her balled, squished against his chest and her own. She sobbed against him until her head felt heavy and her face was itchy with dried tears. 

Danny kissed her head, rubbing her back. “Now you wanna tell me what’s bothering you?”

“I’m a terrible mother,” Linda mumbled, dropping her head further down to her own chest. 

“What?”

“I’m a terrible mother!” Her tears started up again. 

“No you’re not.”

“Yes I am too!”

“No you’re not. You’re not a terrible mother. Why would you say that?”

“Cause I didn’t protect my baby.”

Danny felt like an idiot. He should’ve known this whole situation would take a toll on Linda’s mental health. She was the one who had to listen to the doctors, be brave for Jack, watch Sean not respond to some of the treatment....

“And that makes me awful.”

“There was nothing you could’ve done differently. C’mon,” he guided her to sit up, and reached across her to grab her thermos. “Drink some water.”

Linda let out a shaky breath as she unscrewed the top of the thermos. “I could’ve said no to the bike ride. I should’ve said no.”

Danny grabbed the box of tissues on his nightstand. Putting his hand on his wife’s shoulder, he started talking. “Linda, I don’t think you could’ve done anything to prevent this. It was just one of those things, y’know? And believe me, I understand self blame more than anybody. Right?”

Linda nodded, scratching at her neck and cheeks. She felt her self relax as Danny started wiping the tears away with the tissues. “Right.”

“You couldn’t have stopped this... I also wanted to apologize.”

“Apologize? For what?”

“For snapping at you at the hospital. I was wrong, and you didn’t deserve to be yelled at.”

“It’s okay. I maybe shouldn’t have used medical terms, but they’re implanted in my brain.. I don’t blame you for it. You were scared, and people were speaking a language you didn’t understand.”

“See? And that’s why I love you. You’re so understanding and quick to forgive.... tell you what. Why don’t you, me, Jack, and Sean go someplace fun tomorrow. Fun and safe, like the zoo.”

“With the elephants?”

Danny chuckled, “with the elephants.” 

“The boys will like that.”

“And you’ll like seeing your elephants.”

Linda smiled and laid her head on Danny’s shoulder. She laced her fingers through his, “I love you. You’re so good to me.”

“I love you more.” He kissed her cheek, “let’s try to get some sleep. We wanna be rested for the zoo tomorrow.”

For a few more days, Linda would still feel a little at fault and be overprotective of her baby. And when she’d have those nightmares of the situation going so much more worse, Danny would be there to hold her and tell her it was just a dream. Despite all his flaws and his massive temper, Linda really did love him with all her heart.


	6. Starve A Cold, Feed A Fever

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to Erin O’Donavan for helping me out with this chapter! It’s not what I had initially thought, but I hope you like it just the same!

So he had a small temperature. So what? He was perfectly fine to go to work that day. And 100 wasn't even bad, just a little toasty. Danny had ignored Linda that morning when she commented on how warm he felt. 

"I'm always hot, you know that."

"Yes, but this isn't your normal hot. There's a difference between thermostat, temperature, and sex appeal."

His coffee mug had stalled at his lips as she said that, her face completely serious. He nodded, as though he was turning those words over in his head. "True, but I don't have a temperature. I just have an out of whack thermostat and Adonis-like sex appeal."

Linda rolled her eyes at him, smirking and shaking her head. "Fine, but don't cry coming to me when you get sick."

"But you're a nurse. It's your obligation to nurse people back to health. Especially if that health belongs to your husband."

"Go to work, Danny," Linda smiled, crossing her arms. 

As always, they exchanged 'I love you's and went about their respective days. 

*********

"You can't possibly be hot," Steve Mahoney stated as she watched Danny fan himself with a file.

"Why not?"

"Cause it's freezing cold in here!"

"No, it's not. And anyway, we gotta drive up to the Bronx, question this guy's wife."

Steve stood and grabbed his coat, dropping a pen in the process. Since he leaned over to pick it up, he missed his partner sway when he first stood. "Ready to go?"

"Yup."

The car ride to the Bronx was filled with light chatter, as was always the case. They usually talked about the case, or the sports game that was held the night before. As the ride went on, Danny got hotter and hotter, finally opening a window just a crack. 

"Are you crazy, Reagan?"

"No, just hot."

"Did you come into work sick again?"

"No!" He lied, "just some thermostat thing."

"What?"

"Let's just focus on the case, okay?"

So they did. And because he really wasn't feeling good, he let Steve take the lead in questioning. He tried to pay attention to the answers (and the questions), but his throbbing head prevented him from doing so. Just as he was about to admit defeat and make a lousy excuse to go back to the warm car, he started seeing little white dots in his eyes, and he knew that wasn't good. 

***********

The next thing Danny knew was that he was lying down, and he had a feeling it wasn't in his own room. His head hurt, and even through closed eye lids he could tell the lights were far too bright. He concluded he was in the hospital, and someone was... sitting on him?

"Are you stupid or something?" Linda's voice filled his ears. "What the hall were you thinkin'?! Going to work with a fever! How stupid can you be?"

He opened his eyes to looks t her, and had to bite his tongue to keep from laughing. She was straddling his hips (of course- like he needed *that* distraction), with her hands rolled into fists sitting on her own hips. She looked pissed, but something was very endearing about it. He closed his eyes again- damn hospital lights. Why were they so bright? "Are you gonna tell me what happened?"

"You went to work with a fever and fainted cause it got so high! They're giving you fluids, you're dehydrated." Linda pointed to the IV, even though his eyes were still closed. She leaned forward, bracing her arms on either side of his shoulders. "Do you know how worried I was?! You've been out for almost six hours! Danny, that's terrible!"

Danny opened his eyes to a curtain of blonde hair. He smirked, "I didn't mean to worry you. It was only 100, it was fine!"

"99.7 is fine. 100 isn't exactly fine. Now as soon as you get hydrated again, I'm taking you straight home and right into bed." She held up a finger, "and if you make a sex joke..."

He chuckled, and rubbed her arm. He was released two hours later, and didn't argue when Linda insisted on driving. He felt a little better with the correct fluids inside him, but his head still felt heavy and his skin was still hot and sticky. 

**********

"Aren't ya supposed to starve a cold and feed a fever?" Danny wondered as Linda brought him a bowl of soup a little while after she nearly wrestled him in bed. 

"It's feed a cold and starve a fever. And it's bullshit! Every medical professional worth her salt knows you have to feed a cold and a fever. Your body needs fluids." She sat on the bed and handed him the soup. She watched him for a while, chewing her lip. 

"What do you think I have?" Danny asked, taking a spoonful of the soup. The soup tastes like absolutely nothing, but it felt good and warm against his sore throat. 

"It's just a virus. A twenty four or forty eight hour thing. You'll be better in no time... can I get you some water?"

"Yeah, actually. Thanks."

Linda smiled and slid off the bed. She walked out of the bedroom almost too quickly; once in the kitchen getting the ice in the thermos, she started to cry. She was so worried about her husband, because she had no idea what had happened. Steve had told her that Danny had just fallen to the cold wintery ground, and that mental image shook her to her core. 

Linda furiously wiped the tears as she screwed the thermos top on and turned off the water. She took a few calming breaths, hoping Danny wouldn't notice she had been crying. 

"You're crying," Danny frowned as Linda handed him his thermos. 

Without a word, she crawled on the bed and over him, tucking herself into his side. "I didn't know what was happening to you." Her voice was muffled. "You just collapsed and no one knew why, and then the hospital lost you. And I couldn't find you and got so scared."

He hugged Linda, kissing the top of her head. "I'm sorry. It was stupid of me to go to work with a fever. And what the hell kinda hospital loses a patient?"

She shrugged against him, just happy to have him in her arms and sight again. "Danny?" She lifted her head after comfortable minutes of silence. "Promise me something?"

"Anything."

"Never go to work with a fever again. Never, ever, ever. You scared the crap out of me."

"I won't do it again."

***********

Linda was horrified to hear Danny actually had the flu, but was determined to keep him home and wait on him hand and foot. For two weeks, she took care of him and made sure he was taking care of himself. 

Two days after he got better, Linda started feeling sick. She didn't tell Danny, because she didn't want him to worry and she was due for her period in two days. Often she felt sick before her period, and if it was just that, she would worry Danny without real reason. 

Danny looked at Linda as they laid in bed that night. "Hey, Linda?"

She opened her eyes, "yeah?"

"Thanks for taking care of me."

She smiled and snuggled against him, "no problem."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading this story. If you liked this one, please check out my other stories.
> 
> Also, if you’d like to see a one/two shot, or a short book like this, please feel free to ask. I will do my very best with your request 
> 
> Happy reading!


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